JUAN DE PLASENCIA’S

Customs of the Tagalog

J U A N D E P L A S E N C I A’ S
 BACKGROUND OF THE AUTHOR

Juan de Plasencia was a Spanish friar of the Franciscan order.

Born on early 16th century as Juan Portocarrero
He was among the first group of Franciscan missionaries who
arrived the island on July 2,1578.
Fray Juan was born to illustrious family of the portocarreros in
plasencia in the region of Extremadura, Spain in the early 16th
century.
 He spent most of his missionary life in the Philippines, where he
founded numerous towns in the province of bulacan, Laguna
and Rizal.
 He authored several religious and linguistics books, mostly
notably the doctrina Cristiana (Christian Doctrine) the first book
ever printed in the Philippines.
 Juan de plasencia passed away in liliw, Laguna, in the year 1590.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF

THE PRIMARY SOURCE

C U S TO M S O F T H E TA G A L O G S
Customs of the Tagalog's is a part (either chapters or
subsections) of longer monographs written by the
chroniclers of the Spanish expeditions to the Philippines
during the early 16th and 17th centuries. They appeared
initially in Blair and Robertson’s 55 volumes, The Philippine
Islands (1903) and in the Philippine Journal of Sciences
(1958).
It was written on the year 1589 during the Spanish Colonial
Period. After receiving the Lordship’s letter, Plasencia
wished to reply immediately; but he postponed his answer in
order that he might first thoroughly inform himself in regard
to People’s request, and to avoid discussing the conflicting
reports of the Indians.
Therefore, he collected Indians from different districts old
men, and those of most capacity; and from them he have
obtained the simple truth, after weeding out much foolishness,
in regard to their government, administration of justice,
inheritance, slaves, and dowries.

- Why do you think it was written?

was intentionally made to provide an exoticize description of
the Tagalog natives, clearly fed by politics and propaganda and
operated with the Western-outsider's gaze, that would be
appealing to them.
 CONTENT
PRESENTATION
 Political Customs
 Barangay – the name originated when people came
to land by means of boat called barangay.
 Datus – the chief of barangay and captains in their
wars who is obeyed and reverenced. Three Castes:
Nobles, Commoners, and Slaves
 Nobles – they accompany the datu in war and
freeborn/maharlika. They don't pay tax or tribute to
datu.
Commoners – they serve their master
but cannot be sold (alipingnamamahay),
lives in their own house.
Slaves – they can be sold and live to
their master’s house (aliping saguguilar)
 Economic Customs
 Foreign trade with Borneo, China, Java,
Thailand, Cambodia and Japan
 Fishing in seas and rivers
 Hunting in high lands
 Planting of rice, crops, fruits and vegetables
 Trade of products with other barangays by boat
 Houses are made of bamboo, wood and nipa
palm
 Language and System of Writing
 Tagalog, Ilocano, Pangasinan, Kapampangan,
Sugbuhanon, Hiligaynon, Magindanawand
Samarnon are used that originated from the
Malayo-Polenisian Language
 Alphabets consisted of 3 vowels and 14
consonants called Baybayin.
 Wrote on plant leaves, bamboo tubes, and bark
of trees
 Used tap of trees as ink and pointed stick as
pencil.
 Cultural Customs
 Sons and daughters are trained in proper choice of mate by their
parents.
 Courtship begins with Paninilbihan.
 Pamamanhikan (approval) before marriage.
 The man needs to give dowry (payment) to the woman’s family
before marriage. It can be bigay-kaya (a piece of land or gold),
panghihimuyat (a gift for the bride’s parents), bigay-suso (for
brides wet nurse).
 Marriage between two different social classes were not common.
 Several grounds of divorce are adultery, abandonment on the part
of the husband, cruelty and insanity.
 Religion Customs
 Pandot or worship is a festive celebration, includes
performing of sacrifices toothier idols that lasts for few
days.
 Often sacrifices goats, fowls and swine. This was
performed for the healing of the sick, good harvest,
happy marriage, successful childbirth etc.
 They have feast for the members of barangay which is
called Nagaanitos.
 Worship is performed in a large house of a chief.
 The place of worship was called temple.
 They worship many gods and goddesses:
Bathala, supreme being; Idayanale, god of
agriculture; Sidarapa, god of death; Agni, god
of fire; Balangao; god of rainbow;
Mandarangan, god of war; Lalahon; god of
harvest; Siginarugan, god of hell.
 They also believe in sacred animals and trees
 Superstitious Beliefs

 They believe in aswang, dwende,kapre,

tikbalang, tiyanak
 They also believe in magical power of
amulet and charms such as anting-anting,
kulam, and gayuma.
 Manner of burying

The deceased was buried beside his house, and

if they were a chief, hews placed beneath a
little house of porch which they constructed
for his purpose. Before entering him, they
mourned him for four days and afterwards,
placed him in a boat which served as a coffin
or bier.
 Distinction of Priest and the Devil

 Catalonan
 Mangangauay
 Manyisayat  Sonat
 Mancocolam  Pangatahojan
 Hocloban  Bayoguuin
 Silagan
 Mantatangal
 Osuang
 Analysis of the important
historical information found in
the document
 The historical information in Customs of Tagalog
describes the way of life of the Filipinos before Spanish
and Christian influences.
 Marriage, rituals, burial, social classes and political
stratifications of the Tagalog region were tackled in this
primary source.
 The claim of the Spaniards that when they arrive in the
Philippines, Filipinos were still uncivilized and lacking in
culture was proven wrong by Placensia’s account.
 During the pre-colonial time, Filipinos became more
aware of morality and the beliefs of Christianity that the
Spaniards brought to us.
 CONTRIBUTION
A N D R E L E VA N C E
OF THE DOCUMENT
 The original work itself is a product of observations
and judgments. Therefore, it is probable that Juan de
Plasencia’s work might contain partiality in
presenting his observation and judgment.
 It has continued to serve as a basis for historical
reconstructions of Tagalog society. Pre-conquest
society were not swept by the advent of the Spanish
regime.
 It affirms that during the pre-hispanic period,
Filipinos have already government as well as a set
of beliefs and practices. This account is considered
to be the foremost source of information about the
old customs of the Filipinos.
 Most of the 16th century beliefs and practices are
still present today. Plasencia’s account preserves
and popularize the unwritten customs, traditions,
religion and superstitious beliefs of us Filipino.
 THANK YOU!
SOURCES:
 https://www.studocu.com/ph/document/west-visayas-state-univer
sity/bachelor-of-science-in-biology/analysis-of-costums-of-the-ta
galogs/14285245
 https:-//prezi.com>customs-of-the-ta.customs of the tagalog by
juan de plasencia-Prezi Accustomed othering in colonian writing:
 https://prezi.com/p/vjiz6mscj-2-/customs-of-the-tagalogs-by-juan
-de-plasencia/?frame=e54621d3e6fe69e4b5a125e0dc280cf5cf02
0610
GROUP 2 MEMBERS
BELLINGAN, JEAN MAE R.

BERNAL, CARL VENZAR

CARIÑO, ANGELICA

CASTILLO, JOVILYN

CORDAÑO, JOSHUA